Two more days without power for some Red Deer residents
The city of Red Deer is making significant progress in restoring power to homes and businesses after a windstorm left 30 per cent of the city without power Tuesday night, city officials said Thursday.
About 400 properties were still without electricity Thursday afternoon and the city is advising people in some neighbourhoods that it could take another two days to get everyone back on the grid.
"We had a lot of help," the city's emergency operations director, Craig Curtis, told CBC News.
In addition to 120 city staff working to clear debris and restore power, Red Deer had help from emergency service crews from adjacent municipalities, like Penhold and Innisfail.
"It's a very resilient community, actually, that work together pretty well," Curtis said of Red Deer residents.
Forty power poles were damaged in the storm and about 15 still need to be replaced, the city said.
Amanda Gould, executive director of the downtown business association, lives in the Vanier Woods neighbourhood and hasn't had power since Tuesday evening.
"It's been a real challenge because, you know, we don't have hot water, we don't have any electric. Everything in the fridge and the freezer has to be thrown away," she told CBC News Thursday.
Spoiled food is a major concern, Curtis acknowledged. He said some residents who have electricity are offering to store perishable food for neighbours whose refrigerators and freezers are still without power.
"We're having to cook on a BBQ right now," Gould said. "There's been a little bit more dining 'al fresco'."
Most pathways remained off limits Thursday.
Discovery Canyon, Riverbend Golf and Recreation Area, Oxbows Dog park and Great Chief park are open. Other parts of the trail system are blocked off because of the danger of limbs falling from damaged trees.
Crews will be out working to clear debris in the effort to re-open trails by the end of the day, Curtis added.
Gould is looking at the bright side of the situation.
"It has made for some great comradery ... because people have been helping with any trees that came down and tiles that came off roofs and all the other debris that was flying over the neighbourhood," she explained.
"People have really been helping each other in the clean up, so it's actually been a great way of getting to know your neighbours."
Curtis said the city is assessing the extent of the damage.
"We know that there's significant tree loss, which of course, we pride ourselves on our tree cover and in the downtown a lot of trees along the streets ... will have to be replaced."
Damage to private property will be in the millions of dollars, he said.
The city remains under a state of local emergency. Curtis said it will be lifted once power has been fully restored.
